


To Be a Puppet

by HappyMadFace



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Crying, Death Threats, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Light Sadism, Major Character Injury, Manipulation, Murder, Varian Needs a Hug (Disney), but I did my best to spell check for ya’ll-, god damn this is giving away my soon to be edgy ending!, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25403617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HappyMadFace/pseuds/HappyMadFace
Summary: A story in which Cassandra kidnaps Quirin to coax Varian into doing whatever she may need him for. I dunno, regretful spy Varian? I’m pretty bad a summaries. Just come along and enjoy this angsty hurt/comfort filled mess of a story with me :)(Tags and title may change)
Relationships: Cassandra/Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Cassandra/Varian (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Varian, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Rapunzel & Varian (Disney)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 59





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! So this is one of the first fics of mine I actually planned before hand, haha. I’ve had a huge summary for myself in my folder for like two months before I finally decided to write it. Anyway, I hope you like this first chapter! :)
> 
> (This story takes place almost directly after the season three premiere)

Varian sighed, brushing his raven hair out of his eye view. It was late, it had to be somewhere around maybe eleven to twelve a.m. by now. He couldn’t really tell, with him currently residing in his new-found lab under the castle. 

He should be home right now, but he just couldn’t bring himself to return to the small cottage. Not when his Dad had recently (and quite mysteriously) vanished out of thin air without a trace. Without his Dad he’d be alone with his thoughts again, and God only knows what could happen if he was left with his thoughts again. That house got  _ way  _ too quiet with just himself. Besides, he wasn’t ready to relive those lonely grief-stricken days alone mourning in silence and anger. So, he decided to spend his nights in the castle for the last few days.

He didn’t think anyone noticed his stay here and how he hadn’t traveled back to Old Corona for three long days, but frankly he didn’t care. Besides, if anyone  _ did ask  _ (though it seemed unlikely) he’d just say he fell asleep a few times working on a project. Nothing too unlikely, no big deal.

He dragged a gloved hand through his ebony hair again. His elbows were perched firmly atop his new desk, holding up his head. His foot was tapping the ground nervously.  _ Where was his Dad? _

Now, Varian didn’t want to seem too clingy, but  _ come on. _ He had basically just gotten him back! All those months alone, and now just two weeks after setting his father free he goes  _ missing? _

At first, he hadn’t really thought much of it. It was common for Quirin to go out for a day or two to a nearby village or kingdom, but  _ three?!  _ **_Real shit?_ **

Varian was basically on the brink of panic. If his Dad had truly vanished, he would surely be alone again. And  _ then  _ what would he do? Honestly, Varian wasn’t sure if he could take that reality.

Varian grew tense, seemingly making himself more stressed the more he thought about his current situation. He stood from the desk and paced back and forth in the big room. 

Maybe this wasn’t healthy… His Dad would surely be back soon. He just needs to get out and talk to some people  _ other  _ than himself and Ruddiger’s occasional appearance. He was on good terms with Rapunzel and Eugene now. Maybe he could try and hang out with them for a bit. Earn back that trust he’d so selfishly ripped from them. 

He shuddered thinking about the monster he’d been. The monster he still  _ could  _ be. How Rapunzel could accept such a monster back was beyond him.

Maybe he just needed a change of scenery for the time being? Staying in this stuffy lab was truly suffocating at times. Not that he didn’t love it down there! Hmm, getting something to eat wouldn’t hurt either. Maybe he could snag an apple or something from the kitchen in the castle above?

At that point, he decided he was going to take a walk. A long walk. Not just to stretch his limbs, but to stretch his mind. He missed the night sky, anyway.

After surfacing from his lab, Varian hurried down the many desolate hallways of the castle. To many, the corridors were like a never ending labyrinth with no exit. It was  _ very  _ easy to get lost for the average person. But for Varian, he had them almost memorized. And thanks to that, he was moving almost with no thought at all.

He moved through the many halls with ease, not paying much attention. He was too busy in his head. So busy in fact, that he didn’t realize that he was about to ram right into another figure that had been coming around the corner of the hallway. 

He let out a yelp tripping over his feet and  _ almost  _ falling onto his ass until a hand caught his wrist and pulled him back onto his feet. He leaned into the side of the hallway steadying himself and trying to control his sudden sky-rocketing heart rate.

“Varian!” The figure stated. Though, it didn't carry hostility the villagers would often use. 

He looked up to meet Rapunzel’s smiling face. She sounded tired, and was dressed in a nightgown, but her face still carried its usual peppiness.

He smiled awkwardly, not having really prepared for any social contact that evening, “Hi, princess.”

“What are you doing here? I thought you had gone home for the day?”

Varian scratched the back of his head, “Haha, yeah, no. I was just finishing something up. God, that probably sounds so stupid. I mean, seeing an ex-convict lurking around your palace late into the night is probably really suspicious AND concerning.”

To his surprise, the blonde only giggled at his words, “Of course not! I know you’ve changed, Varian. I mean like, we’ve gotta ”learn to trust again”, am I right?! I mean, I trust you!” She playfully punches him in the shoulder.

“I don’t know how you  _ could,”  _ He chuckles. It was meant to be taken as a joke, but it ultimately falls flat into some odd hollow sound that just didn’t sit right in either of their ears. 

Rapunzel seemed to catch on and frowns. She calmly put her hand on his shoulder in a caring fashion. “Hey, I’ll tell you why I’m up if you tell me why you’re up.” 

The boy stands there for a minute weighing his options, before sighing and sliding down the hallway wall to sit on the floor boards and patting a spot next to him for Rapunzel to follow. What did he have to lose, anyway? “Fine, but you’re going first.”

She gleefully clapped her hands together and sat next to Varian, scooting closer as if she were a five year old being told a secret. Heck yeah! Re-bonding with Varian, WHOOO, yeah! Trust! 

After collecting herself, she remembered why she had been up in the first place and hesitated for a moment before taking a breath.

“I’ve told you already about Cass’ betrayal, and how she took the moonstone for herself, right?

He nods, recounting the quick catch-up session Eugene and her had given him once he was for sure redeemed and one of their allies.

She sucks in a breath, “Well, I still think of her. A lot. And I’m just stuck here thinking, _is this really it?_ _Has she really moved on?_ I mean, what if all those times don’t mean as much to her as they do to me?”

Varian blinks. He wants to say something, but decides against it.

“I just really hope she thinks of me the same amount, even with the moonstone. I just want to be friends again.” She finishes her spiel with a sigh, “Anyway, what about you?”

Varian hugs his knees to his chest and keeps his gaze on the moonlight flooding through the windows and onto the floor in front of them. Rapunzel was dealing with so much because of Cass... did he really have to dump his problems onto her?

“Well now mine seems stupid, but ok.” He prepares his monologue, “it’s just, I- my Dad hasn’t really been anywhere for the past few days. And I’m not really sure where he is…”

He pauses.

“I’m just, I’m too scared to go back to that stupid house alone, y’know? I don’t think I  _ could.  _ Everything is just… D-do you know the things I’ve done in there? The things I’ve  _ thought? _ I was a monster… so if I go in again, by myself, will I still be myself when I come out?” 

Rapunzel frowned for a second, her gaze finding the floor, before she looked up with a small smile, “I think you would. But that’s ultimately up to you, Varian. As for your Dad, he’s probably fine, wherever he may be.”

“Really? You think so?”

“Yeah! He’s probably on his way back to the kingdom now.” She stands back up onto her feet. Varian mimics her and adjusts his goggles.

“Thanks for this, Rapunzel. Really,” he says genuinely.

The princess smiled back brightly, “Anytime! Honestly, we should open up to each other more often. It felt great to get that off my chest!”

“Pffft-“ 

They both said their goodbyes and let the other continue to their midnight-walk. Before he knew it, he was out of the kingdoms gates and walking through the woods just outside of Old Corona.

The woods weren’t foreign to him, for he’d grown up alongside them. He’d never really gone into the heart of the forest persay, but he’d gone in deep enough to know what it was like as a kid. 

Peaceful and quiet.

So, as anyone would do, he kept coming back through the years. He’d just come and sit in the middle of the forest, whether it be to scribble down new alchemy compounds to try or to just vent out his thoughts.

Speaking of venting out thoughts,  _ Rapunzel.  _ How could she be so kind to him?! Just there in the castle! Imagine a monster who had just taken over your kingdom not even two weeks ago walking around your home in the middle of the night, that would be  _ insane.  _ Honestly, it was a little embarrassing. How could Rapunzel just let that  _ slide? _ Just laugh it off? It was nerve racking, but it made Varian feel strangely… content? Was that the word?

It was just nice to see someone so willing to buy his story for once. Not even that, but she reassured him that everything was  _ ok.  _ She  _ believed  _ him… and he was glad.

He wanted people to believe in him. He wanted them to rely on him and trust him again. So, to make sure he would reach that goal, he swore off lying. He would never lie again, and never be deceitful in any way. He would live with those vows from now on. And quite frankly, they were doing him well so far.

Life as the royal alchemist was  _ amazing!  _ And definitely had its benefits. He basically had infinite materials and ingredients. And, he almost had all creative freedom (the king and queen were still iffy about him, and quite frankly, he didn’t blame them). And all this for the small price of creating inventions to help the people of Corona, which is what he wanted to do anyway. It was honestly a dream come true.

Varian practically skipped down the moonlit path, feeling his mood shifting into pure contempt. Man, maybe he  _ was  _ worrying about nothing. He’s on good terms with Rapunzel and the gang, he’s the royal alchemist now, and his Dad probably  _ was  _ on his way home. Everything was semi- _ perfect.  _ What more could he want?

“Varian.”

The boy snaps out of his mind games and looks around intently. He doesn’t see much except the usual trees and forest brush he’s been seeing this whole time. He waits for a few moments, before figuring he may have just imagined the voice. He goes to carry on walking.

“Varian.”

This time Varian hears the voice clearly. It’s oddly familiar. It’s feminine, and holds a very clear sense of power. He looks to where the voice had come from near the tree line. He doesn’t see much at first, but then he squints and starts to see the shadow of a person. He gasps for a moment, taken back at the sudden appearance. 

Said shadow makes their way back down the tree until their feet hit the rich soil with a thud. The figure, which he can now make out as Cassandra, approaches him calmly and coolly. “I thought you’d never come out of that stupid castle.” She murmures under her breath. 

She keeps an uninterested and bored expression on her face, like she doesn’t want anything to do with him; yet she still persisted. Classic Cassie.

“Cass!” He greeted her with a smile on his face, “gosh, it’s been forever. I’ve really missed you. Have you been well?”

She seems to cringe at his words, just as she’d done all those months ago. Though, something seemed different about her aura. She looked… strange. Maybe a bit paranoid. She kept looking over to her left at seemingly nothing. 

Suddenly, Varian was reminded of the princess’ lecture to him about what Cassandra had done to them. His eyes drift to the moonstone radiating light off of Cassandra’s chest for a moment and he freezes. Yes, he was with Cassie, but he was also  _ far  _ into the woods with a potential threat. The way Eugene had described Cassandra’s behavior at the dark kingdom to him seemed unreal at the time, and honestly, he just chalked it up to Eugene and Cass’ weird rivalry. But now, with Cass’ eerie silence, he couldn’t help but be weary.

It takes her a few seconds, but she eventually gets out what she wanted to say, “I’ve been fine, Varian. Rapunzel has told you about me, hasn’t she?”

Wow. She just wants to cut straight to the chase, doesn’t she? Varian kicks a pebble across the forest floor with the toe of his boot. “Well,  _ yeah _ but… I can’t believe it. I-you’ve done so much for so many people. This has to just be a misunderstanding.”

She sighs, holding the bridge of her nose. “Just what I was afraid of. You still see me as a hero, don’t you?”

“Well, of course.”

She lets out a little snort and laughs a bit at his words, causing Varian’s stomach lurch a bit in unease. 

“Well then, I’m about to rock your world.”

She crosses her arms in front of her chest, leaning on one leg in a nonchalant manner. She then seems to consider her options for a millisecond, before turning back to him with a bored expression. “I have your dad, Varian.”

He stares at her for a long second before bursting into laughter like he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. A nervous laughter maybe, but laughter nonetheless. Cass has  _ his dad? _ ! That was impossible.

She glared daggers at him, and stands silently waiting for him to be done. Varian catches the seriousness in her eyes and quickly lets his laughter die down into nothing.

The pair stand silently for a few moments before Varian speaks up, “What?”

“I have your Dad Varian. To get him back, you will need to do a favor for me.”

His eyes dart back and forth from Cassandra’s stone expression, to the strangely desolate forest behind her. He lets out a chuckle, “Are you for real?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t want to believe it. He was sure this was some kind of prank Cass was pulling. But some sick feeling in his gut and the seriousness in Cass’ eyes made him think twice. 

“And how do I know you’re not lying?”

“How do you know I’m not telling the truth?” 

The wind blows through his hair as his heart stops.

“Besides, where else could he have gone? And where else will he be in the days to come?”

At this point he was starting to get nervous. He stared down at his feet considering his choices. Was this even real? Everything felt so dream-like all of the sudden. 

He bit his lip, squinting at the perpetrator. “You’re fucking sick.”

“Saying I’m sick would imply there’s a cure, Varian. And I doubt the magic of friendship is going to work out this time,” she tuts. “Besides, you did the same thing to Rapunzel and the queen if I recall correctly.”

He winced at the old memories of his past. “Yes, ok,  _ fine.  _ What do you want?” The boy finally growled in defeat.

Cassandra smiled claiming victory, “I need you to get me the Book of Hearts.”

“Wait, the Book of Hearts? You mean King Herz Der Sonne's journal? The one with all the maps of the tunnels and history-“

“ _ Yes.  _ I need that.”

Varian seems to shrink. Cassandra seemed to notice and scoffs, “Ugh, what’s the problem? Just go in and take it for me.”

Varian hesitates. He was  _ just  _ starting to get on everyone’s good side! He couldn’t just betray them again… how could he live with himself if he did  _ that  _ again? How would they live with him? ...They wouldn’t.

“I’m finally on good terms with everyone… I can’t betray them now?” He whispers to himself. The irony here was uncanny.

Cassandra presses her lips together and makes her way over to him, jetting a finger into his gut. “May I remind you that your father's life is at stake?” Her voice goes low, “Trust me I don’t  _ want  _ to hurt anyone Varian, but I  **_will_ ** do what I need to follow my destiny.”

Varian trembles, imagining what Cass might be able to do to his father with her new-found power. 

He wrings his hands nervously before coming to a conclusion. He’s going to have to do what Cassandra says. Even if it’s treason, he just  _ has  _ to. If she was telling the truth and she  _ did  _ have his dad then he would need to do whatever she says at whatever cost. He just  _ has  _ to. He must.

Varian nods a small and unsure nod, “Yes, I’ll do it.”

Cassandra hums a tune approvingly, “Great. Meet back here at about the same time soon. And don’t forget, the longer it takes you the farther you are from your dad.”

He frowns at her smugness and tries to suppress his trembling. He wants to look strong. He  _ has  _ to look strong.

He turns to walk back in his previous direction, taking hesitant steps as he felt Cassandra’s gaze burning into the back of his skull. He tenses when he hears her voice again.

“Oh, and Varian?”

He turns his head.

“If you even think about telling your little royal friends about this exchange, you’ll have the whole kingdom of Corona’s blood on your hands.”

Varian pauses for a moment, before going back to trekking his way back through the forest.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jehejdjjfnd-  
> Not one of my favorite chapters, but it gets the story rolling so I’m here for it haha

Varian slams his fist on the now-familiar desk in the palace lab. This is so  _ stupid.  _ This whole situation. Of course it had to be him. It was  _ always  _ him, wasn’t it?! All the bad luck just  _ had  _ to go somewhere and boom, here he is harnisting all of it. He felt so torn. Of course he was going to have to follow Cass’ orders. He just hated being manipulated. Feeling a puppet was just horrible. Truly horrible.

And now, here he is trying to think of a plan to steal that stupid book. He didn’t even get to sleep last night because of his nerves, and honestly, he was starting to lose himself. He wanted to drift off, but he wasn’t sure what time it was. How long has it been? It had to have been at least a  _ few _ hours since he’d seen Cass…?

Whatever. Just,  **whatever.** Back to the task at hand. If he was going to get his dad back, and so help him he **_was_ ** _ ,  _ he was going to need a plan. And so far, he seemed to have a solid one. If he was being honest, it was pretty simple.  _ Really  _ easy stuff compared to what he did with the mood potion and cookies all those months ago. 

All he would need to do is wait until the guards switch out for the night. The new guards will come around the right wing in a pair and stop at the doors just outside of the room containing the book. He’ll come around the left wing, splash them with some compound to knock em’ out for a while and then sneak in to get the journal. It wasn’t hard. What he needed to do  _ now  _ was think of what solution he would use to knock out the guards. Something that isn't harmful and would hopefully only last a few hours. What did he have to work with here…?

He got up from the chair he was previously sitting in and waddled over to a near shelf with stiff legs. He stretched his back for a second before squatting down to be eye-level with the small shelf. Alright, he had a few noteworthy things to work with. He could probably come up with a sufficient compound using these… maybe he could combine-

**_Knock knock_ **

**** His thoughts were cut off by a sudden banging on his lab door. He lets out a sigh of annoyance at the disturbance, but then silently thanks them at the same time for giving him a break from thinking up anymore of this stupid plan.

He brushes imaginary dirt off of his clothes, and straightens his goggles in preparation for seeing another human being besides himself. He makes his way up the stairs and motions to open the door. He’s pleasantly surprised when he sees Eugene’s face.

“Hey, Goggles! What’s up?” He greets him with a smile on his face. Rapunzel must have convinced him to take Varian back too, because Eugene has been nothing but kind to him since his little “tantrum.”

Ok, he needs to play his cards carefully here… Eugene could possibly find him out, and then he’d be a dead man. Possibly sent to jail again… never get to see his dad...

He decides to play it short and sweet, “Oh, hey Eugene. Nothing much just finishing up some experiments…” the boy accidentally let the last word drag out a little too long, and he  _ prayed  _ Eugene wouldn’t notice. Whatever… maybe he was just getting paranoid?

One thing’s for sure, that paranoia didn’t disperse as Eugene kept his eyes trained on him, scanning and looking him over. 

Varian bites his lip and puts his hands in silent fists at his sides.  _ ‘Come on Varian, already looking guilty again? You haven’t even done anything punishable yet.’  _ But still… he couldn’t help but feel like Eugene knew everything he was doing and thinking. ‘ _ He knows he knows he knows he knows he kn-‘ _

After a heated moment, Eugene finally asks, “Did you get any sleep last night?”

Varian lets out a breath of relief after hearing the question. Then a second later he let his gaze fall to the side and scratched the nape of his neck, “...no.”

Eugene sighed, but it didn’t sound particularly angry. “We gotta work on that, kid.”

The boy seems to roll his eyes for a moment, not wanting to get into the talk about his bad habits at this time. He leans onto the wall beside him, crossing his arms. “Yeah, yeah. So what did you come by for?”

The older man seemed to consider his words for a moment before speaking with certainty, “I… believe somebody agreed to a picnic!”

Varian gave a baffled expression. He didn’t recall being told about a picnic, nor did he remember agreeing to go to one. “A picnic?”

“Yes, a picnic! With me, Rapunzel, Lance, and  _ maybe _ Catalina and Angry if they haven’t disappeared. Oh come on, I can’t  _ believe  _ you’ve forgotten.” He gives what was supposed to be an offended expression, putting his hand on his chest and putting his lip into a pout. “You’ll still come though, right?”

“I-huh?” He searches through his metaphorical ‘brain files’ trying to find any possible trace of a past conversation.

The man’s face immediately does a one eighty and flashes him a smirk, “Great! Yeah, ‘ _ i-huh!’ _ I like your enthusiasm. I’ll come to get you in twenty. Bye!” 

He turns around and starts to walk off before Varian can utter a no-thanks. He sighs to himself, closing his lab door once again. He let himself slide to the floor and sit there. 

Great. Now he had to go on a stupid picnic. Just more of his precious time to get his dad back going to waste. Though… maybe this could be good? He could pretend he wasn’t about to commit treason for just a  _ little  _ bit. Maybe try to pretend he was his former more-innocent and naive self. Even  _ if  _ he could never smile the same way again… God, he prayed his past enthusiasm would come back to his eyes. They always looked too cold… so broken. He didn’t  _ want  _ to feel broken, yet he always looked the part. He may be shattered, but he was still eager to find every last piece of himself and glue them back together.

He leaned his head back against the doorframe counting down the seconds.

————-

Varian awkwardly waves at the people around him. Eugene wasn’t lying when he said who was coming. Both Rapunzel and Lance were there. Even the dreaded duo Red and Angry had made their appearance. They ran around playing  _ some  _ form of tag while throwing silent insults at the other picnic goers, snickering between themselves.

They had all found a beautiful spot in a meadow. There was a lot of sun, but it seemed to balance off with the Summer breeze whistling it’s way through the thin outline of trees around them.

Rapunzel’s the first to speak with a smile, “Varian! It’s good to see you again.”

“Haha, yeah… what are you doing here?” Lance asks next but is swiftly elbowed in the gut by Eugene. 

“I invited him last week,  _ remember _ ?” He eyes Lance.

A few tense seconds.

“Oh yes, silly me,  _ how  _ could I  _ possibly _ forget.”

Eugene smirks proudly to himself.

Rapunzel smiles warmly, “well I’m glad Eugene  _ reminded  _ you. You look like you could use a meal or two.”

Varian scratches the nape of his neck looking downcast, “ha, I guess so.”

Next thing Varian knew he was helping Eugene out with passing out the food once everyone was situated on the lanky quilt. 

There were all sorts of foods present. There were plenty of strawberries and blueberries to go around. A good amount of cantaloupe, too. There was also a great amount of deserts, but Eugene opted to keep those hidden after Lance almost ate a whole strawberry shortcake and Angry and Catalina stole two cupcakes. There was also cheese and crackers, bread and butter, and his personal favorite, ham sandwiches.

Honestly, he was starting to feel better until Eugene went to high five him and his brain ended up registering it as an attack. He flinched badly and earned some pretty concerned stares for it, too.

Eugene stood dumbfounded, “Wow, that’s new.”

Varian dug the heel of his boot into the rich soil below him and looked around at the others giving them a dry laugh, “Haha, sorry everyone.”

He took a sandwich and hastily went to take his seat on the blanket near Rapunzel who was busily weaving a flower crown with the fresh meadow flowers. Everyone seemed to go back to their own devices. Varian looks down at his own plate of sandwiches and suddenly loses his appetite. It was weird. breaking bread with these people he called his friends and then having to betray them in the long run… He felt so guilty.

Eugene plants himself beside the boy. And takes a bite out of his own sandwich. Varian cringes at the sound. The man cranes his neck down at the kid, “so you’re quiet.”

Varian lets out a snort at the accusation, “pffft, what? No… am I?”

Eugene nods and narrows his eyes. “jumpy, too.”

Varian feels his face heating up with new-found anticipation and dread. Eugene looks like he knows. Does he know? He couldn’t… that’s impossible. But he’s suspicious. 

Varian takes a breath and decides to put his acting to the test, bringing the most relaxed and natural expression he could to his face. “Oh, I didn’t notice. But if I  _ were  _ to do that subconsciously… it would probably be because of my sudden welcome back into society,” he thinks of the towns people throwing him death threats daily, “erm, I mean Rapunzel and yours’ friend group.”

Not technically a fib. Getting instantly accepted into the light again  _ has  _ been affecting him. Just not to the extent of the whole thing with his dad and Cassandra...

Varian honestly pats himself on the back for that one because, for him anyway, the conversation sounded almost natural coming from him. 

He sighed a silent sigh of relief when Eugene nodded back to him with a significant amount of less skepticism. “Yeah, I get that. Just know that we’re glad to have you back, buddy.”

He smiles a faint smile.  _ Thanks for taking back this monster. _

Varian takes a hesitant bite out of his sandwich. Still feeling Eugene’s gaze on him made him anxious, but he pretended not to notice for the time being.

After a long while Eugene spoke again, “You know you can come to us, or even just me, for anything, right kid?”

Varian blinked. “Well, yeah… of course-“

“Well I know it’s easy to  _ say,  _ but I really do mean it. Like, if you’re ever going through something and you think you might end up doing something stupid…” he trails off giving Varian a hesitant look.

Varian stares at him baffled for a second. Why was he giving him that look? Did he think he was going to take over the kingdom again? He thinks and then remembers his own appearance. Oh God, he looked half dead. Not eating or sleeping or talking, Eugene might as well think he’s counting down the days to his death. Oh… wait…. OH.  **_OH._ **

Varian holds out his hands, “N-no! I’m not planning on taking my life or anything,  _ trust me  _ when I say that.”

He sees Eugene relax, which is odd, because when a potential threat even had a chance of being diminished that’s usually a good thing, _right_?!

Varian leans back so that the tips of his fingers are touching the flourishing grass beyond the blankets border. “Everything’s really great for me now, anyways… I mean, everything’s starting to look up for me. I don’t know what my deal is. Just… don’t worry about it.” He makes a mistake of letting his voice crack at the end, and sees Eugene furrow his brows out of the corner of his eye.

Fortunately for Varian, the conversation was cut short by Rapunzel announcing she was taking dessert out to the picnic goers.

“ _ Finally.”  _ He hears Angry and Lance cry out in unison earning a giggle from Catalina.

—————-

Thank God the picnic had gone alright. Varian was sure he would mess it up somehow, but it surprisingly turned out alright. Apart from his short conversation with Eugene, he thankfully didn’t have to really talk with anyone. If someone would approach him he would just respond with the shortest answers in the book. It was basically his politest “fuck off.”

That’s beyond the point now, though. It took him a little bit to come up with something, but he eventually came up with a desired formula for the potion. The only problem was that he needed to test it on someone, and the only person he would be able to test it on would be Ruddiger. But he just couldn’t bring himself to even attempt to indirectly ask the raccoon permission. 

So, he ended up testing the compound on himself. He ended up waking up about two hours later with nothing more than a bruise where he fell accidentally forgetting the effects of the chemicals were immediate. Whatever, the important part is that it works! Now was that tricky part… Varian would now need to go through with his plan, but he found himself stalling.

It was ultimately easy, but now… he just didn’t want to do it. Not to say he ever wanted to do this in the first place, this whole situation just felt so much worse when about to be put into action. 

But...he decided to suck it up for now. For his dad’s sake. 

Varian ends up sneaking out of his lab at around eleven p.m. Following his plan, he waits silently for the guards to switch out. Within a few minutes, the new set of guards were there. He was practically glued to the side hallway slightly behind the guards. When he hears the previous guard’s footsteps fade away, he tosses the compounds he had made at the guards. 

The effects work instantly, and the guards fall to the ground with a  _ thump.  _ Varian looks around the hallways for any witnesses before uttering a small apology to the unconscious pair on the hard floor. 

He steps over the bodies and pushes himself into the vast room. The windows casted a long gleam of moonlight to the floor, and suddenly his footsteps became so much louder than he remembered them.

As he walks up to the podium containing the book, it feels almost dreamlike. Like he was having deja vu but now he was so very alone. 

He gazes cautiously at the book for a moment, wincing at what he was about to do next. The boy shuts his eyes thinking back to Rapunzel and all the forgiveness she’d shown him. 

“I hope you can forgive me again, princess.” 

And with that, he snatched up the book and disappeared into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope ya’ll like part dos of the story :)))


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically Varian and Eugene having a bro bonding moments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GAH, sorry this chapter is so late. I had some trouble writing this one for some reason, haha. Hope ya’ll enjoy nonetheless :)

Varian ran through the forest of Old Corona briskly, just barely toppling himself over from tripping over his own feet. He hastily hops over tree roots to get to roughly the same secluded spot in the woods he found himself in the night prior. He comes to a halt, catching his breath from all his running.

He pants and looks around the shadowed forest scape. “Cass?” He calls out to the darkness. He flinches at the immediate response of a figure behind him and he whips around, taking a step back to keep a fair amount of distance between him and the perpetrator. 

Cassandra waltzes over to the boy in a nonchalant manner. Like she was doing no harm and simply going about her day. “That was fast. I’m impressed, kid.”

Varian doesn’t even process the praise. He just eyes at his once beloved friend. Someone he once looked up to and admired. “I want to know where my dad is.” He growls.

“Wow cutting right to the chase, huh? I wouldn’t blame you though,” the woman snickers. “Do you have the book?”

Varian shifts his weight holding out the journal, “Yes, just like you said.”

Cassandra smirks, taking the book from his hands and flipping through the pages. She seemed to confirm to herself that the book was genuine.

A few moments pass and the boy fidgets with the fabric of his shirt a bit, “This is great and all Cass, but you’re going to lead me to my dad now.” It came out as an order and he silently prayed Cassie wouldn’t take that as a threat. He was never the best at holding his tongue, was he? He was pleasantly surprised when he saw Cassandra nod her head.

“Yes, of course.” She responded lowly, then proceeded to close the book and put it under her arm. “This way.”

She gestured for him to follow and then turned to lead the way. Varian smiled to himself, seemingly finally getting his way. They walked some distance before Cassandra started acting… peculiar? Certainly nothing Varian expected. She started whispering to herself, seemingly having conversations with nobody. She constantly glanced at her side, raising her arms and speaking lively as if she was talking to anybody else. Anybody but him apparently…

The one sided conversation soon became so off putting and disturbing to him that he decided he was finally going to ask Cassandra who she was talking to. He was about to run up to her and tap on her shoulder when-

“ **ENOUGH!!!** ” 

Varian froze. Though, he gained his bearings after seeing her anger was directed not towards him, but at her invisible friend.

He took a breath and addressed the woman, “Who are you talking to?”

But his attempt at connecting Cass back to reality only seemed to make her disconnect even more. She shouted incomprehensible gibberish and then started taking her anger out on a nearby tree. 

This went on for a little bit, and most of the time Varian spent thinking,  _ should I be doing something? _ But he never went through with it because he decided rushing in to calm an irritated, obviously-delusional Cassandra accompanied by a sword and moonstone is not the smartest idea. Instead, he decided to wait it out and study his subject instead. 

The conversations between Cassandra and her little “friend” were complicated. The sentences were broken and hard to put together without both sides and additional context. Very odd… 

After a while, Cassandra seemed to calm. She unsheathes her sword, while the black rocks production seems to go down with her pulse. She mutters a few words to her left, and turns back to pick up the beloved Book of Hearts she’d abandoned at the start of her tangent. She flips a few pages idoly with lidded eyes.

“Varian.”

The boy’s taken aback by the sound of his name and sudden change in demeanor. “Yes?”

He meets her eyes for a millisecond, before she looks down again. She seems to weigh her options, as if showing a small sign of humanity, before looking back at him with a cold stare as if he was the scum of the Earth. “There’s been a change of plans.”

She tosses the journal behind her like a piece of trash, “I’m going to need the scroll.”

Varian’s jaw drops, “What???”

Cassandra rolls her eyes putting out her arms in a  _ ‘what’s the deal?’  _ type motion, “Oh come on, Varian! This is just one more thing. Besides, I heard the  _ princess _ has you translating it anyway. Just grab it for me.”

Varian stands up for himself, “No, Cass. I did what you wanted already, I’m done. It was bad enough the first time. If you want that stupid scroll then get it yourself.” No way, he’s not going to stand for this. He stole the book, that was it, end of story. That was their bargain. 

Cassandra bares her teeth. She stomps over to the boy and juts a finger into his ribs, “May I remind you again that your father’s life is on the line?!”

The boy pauses for a tense moment, and whimpers as he takes a step back from the woman. Cassandra’s eyes are dark and cold, like an animal that could pounce at any second. Varian felt his fight or flight reflexes kicking in but pushed them down, deciding on just returning his own stare.

“Yes, ma’am.”

—————

Varian bangs his head on the now boring and now melancholy desk. He Holds his head, practically digging his fingernails into his scalp. Ok so he doesn’t have his Dad back and everything he did the night prior was a waste,  _ buuuuut… _

...Nope, no but. Varian couldn’t seem to find one bright side to anything anymore. Whatever. His psyche is a mess and he’s being blackmailed.  _ It’s all fine, it’s all good here, nothing to worry about- _

Shoot! What did he have to do again? He always gets so distracted… and it doesn’t help that his head hurts from his lack of sleep and food. He should sleep… but he  _ can’t.  _ He has work to do!

He directs his gaze from his mahogany desk onto the scroll on his left. He unravels it, only to stare at it in full confusion. In all honesty, he had forgotten he was tasked with translating it. Yeah, he knows, not his best first-image, but he would've gotten to it at some point. Probably bang it out within a few days for fun.

But that’s not the point! If he wants his father back as soon as possible he would have to translate it  _ now.  _ Could it be translated in one night? Varian didn’t know. But what he did know was that he was damn-well going to try!

Long story short, after a trail of long hours blurring together, and Varian trying his hardest not to fall asleep, the translation was done. He stared at his work droopy-eyed, not even wanting to do his usual double check. He was so tired… maybe now that he was done, he could finally get some well deserved rest? At least… Varian thought he deserved it. Only the best of the  _ best _ scientists can decipher a whole language in one night.

And with that, sleep is just what he tried to do. Wanted to topple over and sleep, but the sleep part would never commence. He was just sitting there with his head in his arms breathing. Why couldn’t he sleep now? Why were the thoughts in his head so loud  _ now  _ and not while he was translating the scroll? Why couldn’t anything ever go his way?

After a good while of just sitting there trying to sleep, he heard a hesitant knock on the lab door. He groaned, putting his hands on his ears and wishing for the noise to just go away if he waited long enough. Unfortunately for Varian, it didn’t. In fact, it only seemed to get louder.

After a long while of Varian just sitting there with his head against the lab desk waiting for the banging to cease, he eventually let out and exasperated groan and removed himself from his station. 

He walked up the stairs to the knocking in question. He then grabbed the door handle and flung open the door, trying to hide how peeved he was to whoever the person may be on the other side.

He was even more pissed to see Eugene there. Again. Seriously, he might as well be reliving the same day.

His eye twitched in annoyance, but nonetheless, he proceeded to put on a grin anyway. “Eugene! Hey! Good morning.”

The man returned his smile, “Hey Goggles, just here for my annual check in.” He then proceeded to push Varian to the side and descend into the lab.

The boy was taken aback, standing in place for a minute before hastily closing the door again and rushing to catch up to the brunet. 

“You’re  _ what _ ?” Varian inquired when he had finally caught up to the man’s walking speed.

When they got to the main lab Eugene casually looked around the lab, fiddling with whatever was around. This usually lead Varian to use his,  _ ‘politely fuck-off,’  _ skills again. After Eugene was done toying around the lab, he leaned onto one of the desks and crossed his arms eyeing the boy. “I’m doing my annual check in,” he said smoothly.

Varian stammered, “O-of my lab? Well, I guess I expected that. I mean I’m still a potential criminal, and you guys probably don’t have a right to trust me, but  _ you’re _ doing the test? No offence, but I would have figured-“

“No! Not the lab, kid, I mean  _ you _ ,” he said cutting off one of Varian’s insufferable rambling tangents.

The boy pauses. “Me? Really?”

He didn’t expect someone to come check up on  _ him  _ of all people. Varian was sure that there were probably a lot more people that needed help than him at the moment.

Eugene eyes him up and down, and Varian decides he hates it when he does that. Eugene is  _ reading him.  _ Varian can’t help but freeze when he knows he’s being read, because what if that person is reading the wrong side of him? What if they see something he just couldn’t hide well enough?

“I’m going to be honest with you kid, I’m concerned,” Eugene says.

“Concerned? About what?”

“You’re asking me why I’m concerned?!”

Varian stared at the man expectantly. 

Eugene sighed in response, massaging his temples, “You look like you fall over any minute, word is from the chef that you haven’t eaten in days, and I’m pretty sure you haven’t slept in over forty eight hours-“

**_WRONG._ ** Varian very clearly remembers knocking himself out for exactly two hours the day prior from testing his special compound.

Varian keeps his gaze on the floor and winces when he feels a grip on his shoulders. Eugene had kneeled down to be eye level with the boy. “Please kid, we’re all worried about you.”

They’re worried about him. Was this really true? Well, Varian guesses Eugene had nothing to gain from lying in this situation. But somewhere deep inside him he knows that they care.  _ At least, now they do.  _ Varian has to pray that that worry isn’t out of  _ fear _ . If they worry about him only because he’s dangerous and don’t want his spiralling mental state to fuck them over again down the line, then that worry is no good. But something inside of him begged to differ. Something about the way Eugene’s eyes looked so desperate, as if he was trying to hold on to an old friend. They do care. At least, Eugene does.

Varian still found himself staring at the floor, unblinking. He had been zoning out for so long that Eugene started snapping his fingers in front of his face to hopefully bring him back down to Earth. “Hello? Varian? Aw man, I broke the kid.”

Varian blinked a few times, before meeting the man’s eyes once again. He thought for a moment before giving a small genuine smile to the man, “I’m not fine, Eugene. I’ll admit, not fine at all,” He shrugs Eugene’s hold on his shoulders off and puffs out his chest in confidence, “but I swear I’m working on it. Just give me a few days and I’ll be back to normal.”

Eugene narrows his eyes at the last part of that statement but grins back nonetheless and ruffles his hair. “Alright kid, Just remember, you don’t have to go through it alone. You can always come to me if you just need someone to talk to.”

Varian nods as he tries to smooth out the newly found ruffles in his hair. 

Eugene makes his way for the stairs once again, “ _ Anyway,  _ I have to go help the guards out with some random investigation. Something about some old book?” Eugene crosses his arms putting on a serious look, “ _ would you happen to know anything?” _

Varian’s heart sank.

“Pffft,” Eugene dropped his serious demeanor and laughed, “I’m just messing with you, kid.”

The boy let out a sigh of relief and gave his own sad excuse of a chuckle, scratching the nape of his neck.

Eugene was all the way up the stairs now, turning for the door, “Stay safe Varian, and get something to eat!” And with that, Varian was alone again.

————

It was about twelve in the morning. Varian leaned limp onto the wall of his lab. He hadn’t been able to sleep at all. He didn’t know why. Maybe it was a combination of all this weight and stress. What he  _ did  _ know was that it sucked. It messed with his head, with his legs, with his eyes,  _ everything _ . He honestly just wanted his body to manually pass out to save himself the trouble. But things were never easy for him, were they?

His eyes sluggishly traveled the ground, leading up to the scroll perched neatly on the desk in front of him. It’s better now than never, right? At least, that’s what he assumed. Getting it over with fast would be better than second guessing himself every step of the way. So, Varian does what needs to be done. He grabbed the scroll from his desk and began his (now almost routinely) trek to the woods of Old Corona.

The palace is once again dark. The halls are empty with nothing but the moonlight seeping into the vast unmoving halls. Varian barely gets past three corridors before he accidentally finds himself waking head first into something. 

He regains his footing and blinks his eyes trying to regain focus on his surroundings. His stomach flips when he sees Eugene’s concerned face above him.

“Oh, hey kid. I thought I told you to get some rest?”

Varian feels a nervous sweat coming on. He tries to compose himself as he normally would, until he is reminded of what currently resides in his hands. 

Gah!  _ Stupid stupid stupid!  _ How could he just let himself just waltz out into the castle with the scroll in tow?! Why didn’t he remember to bring a bag or something to at least  _ conceal  _ it?

Varian tried to suppress his now very visible shaking.  _ Try to come up with an excuse… come on… SAY SOMETHING! _

__ Varian feels hands on his shoulders, and he tries to pull himself out of his now spiralling panic as Eugene kneels in front of him. The boy tries his best to put on his poker face. A blank canvas… if only his life was a blank canvas. Maybe then he could redraw this  _ hell  _ that was his current life. 

The alchemist doesn’t miss the way Eugene’s eyes flicker, trying to desperately identify the problem. He winces as Eugene catches sight of the scroll in his hands and that delicate concern quickly turns to cold suspicion.

Eugene’s brow furrows, “I knew something was off.” It looked as though it pained him just to say that. Like he knows he’s just been a witness to Varian commiting treason once again but somehow doesn’t want to believe it. 

Varian huffs and pushes Eugene’s touch off of his shoulders. “I need to leave,” he says, once again putting on his ‘tough guy persona™.’

He turns to leave but winces when Eugene grips his elbow, keeping him in place. “Wait, hold up kid, you can’t just up and  _ leave.” _

__ Varian’s basically hyperventilating at this point. “It’s none of your concern. Now I need to go, _ ”  _ he tries to pull away from Eugene’s hold but the man doesn’t budge.

“It kind of  _ is  _ my concern. Now, tell me what you’re doing.” Eugene’s tone is firm but has a hidden plee to it that Varian can’t seem to identify.

“I- I can’t tell you right now. But I need to go,  _ please.  _ I need to go right now, tonight,  _ please.” _ The boy now feels tears starting to break free and begin their way down his cheek, and he curses himself for crying in front of Eugene.

Eugene’s grip doesn’t falter as he watches the sobbing train wreck unfold before him. 

Varian pulls at the hand on his elbow, trying best to pry it off with no avail. The room was starting to spin, and Varian couldn’t tell if that was from his lack of sleep or newfound tears obstructing his vision. “ _ Please.  _ S-she has my dad I can’t just- I  _ need  _ to go  _ now. _ She’ll  _ kill  _ him and I just got him back so  _ please let me go-“ _

Eugene winced at the boy's choked sobs, and could hardly stand to hear his current barely coherent ramblings. But… he could pick out some parts that could help him put together the puzzle pieces.

For one, it was painfully aware that Varian was meeting someone. Someone who wanted the scroll? And this person or  _ people  _ had his dad??? Maybe???Needless to say, Eugene was lost. He’d have to ask Varian later.

Speaking of which, the alchemist was now on his knees on the cold marble floor crying his little heart out. It honestly broke Eugene’s heart to watch, even though this was the same kid who tried to kill him with a big robot not even a year ago…

Eugene stood there awkwardly for a moment trying to come up with a game plan before sighing and ultimately giving up. He let go of Varian’s elbow (seeing as he was in no shape to try and run now) and took a seat beside him, leaning onto the pristine palace wall behind him.

He hesitantly tapped the kid on the shoulder, momentarily stopping the insistent sobs escaping him. He put on his friendliest smile and asked a simple yet genuine, “Are you ok?” And with that Varian was all over him.

The kid leaned onto him, crying into his shoulder and holding onto him for dear life. It almost sounded like he was trying to explain something that only he himself could understand.

And with that, Eugene sat there being a human tissue for a long while until it was silent. Eugene was dazed at what in the world just happened before him, and peeked at the form beside him. 

Asleep, of course. He knocked himself out unsurprisingly. 

Eugene sat there for a few more quiet moments trying to come up with a game plan before sighing and opting for carrying Varian bridal-style to an open guest room.

He’ll need a good night's sleep in order to explain himself in the morning.

**Author's Note:**

> Whew! I hope you like it so far? Anyway, criticism and comments are always welcome! 💚 The comments,,, they f e e d me.


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